Partly Facetious: 'Naya Pakistan' means only merit?

"Are appointments being made on merit or influence in the new Pakistan?"
"It's always merit and influence, never one, without the other, they are like two peas in a pod."
"I thought the new Pakistan means only merit."
"Well, you thought wrong."
"Isn't that what The Khan kept on saying before he formed the government in the centre? So was he lying then?"
"No, he wasn't lying. The Khan thinks all those who may have used their influence to get lucrative jobs have merit and that was the only determining factor in his decision to take them on board."
"Isn't that what Nawaz Sharif and Zardari sahib thought as well when they made appointments? That their selections were on merit and were appropriate and..."
"Yes, but we saw the mayhem their appointments left in the entities they were handpicked to lead."
"Hindsight is 20-20 my friend - and The Khan's appointments have only had four and a half months so not enough time to evaluate."
"So, either I shut up or put up?"
"Precisely!"
"What about the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan - he was a Dar loyalist and..."
"Excuse me, but he is a seasoned bureaucrat and need I add, bureaucrats learn how to deal with politicians irrespective of their political ideology."
"When? When do they learn this?"
"Not at the academy I know, it's when their promotions are stalled because they have been unable to connect with those who are able to promote them! Starts pretty quickly in their career after they are assigned a position..."
"Don't be facetious; besides the Governor's appointment was on merit. I mean who else would know exactly what the government would require of him even before the government gives the directives than a former Finance Secretary!"
"That's true."
"And given our Finance Minister is not quite sure what directives to issue the Governor takes care of him, let me give you an example, the State Bank of Pakistan hasn't uploaded data on its website on debt, debt repayments which has left pundits unable to project the rising external indebtedness as a consequence of loans from friendly countries and..."
"Yep, he is a smart guy! The last update was September before The Khan administration procured a single penny from the friendly countries."
"Indeed."